Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Crime

Fontana man charged with pimping a minor in Santa Ana

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ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

May 9, 2017

Case # 17CF1135

FONTANA MAN ARRAIGNED FOR TRAFFICKING MINOR FROM SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY AND PIMPING VICTIM IN SANTA ANA

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A Fontana man was arraigned yesterday for trafficking a minor girl from San Bernardino County and pimping the victim in Santa Ana.

  • Defendant: Armani Montrale Green, 20, Fontana
  • One felony count each of:
    • Human trafficking of a minor
    • Pimping a minor
    • Pandering a minor
  • One misdemeanor count of:
    • Driving without a valid driver license
  • Maximum Sentence: 13 years in state prison
  • Six months in county jail
  • Court Date: Pre-trial hearing: May 16, 2017, 8:30 a.m. at Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana

Continue reading→

The City of Santa Ana is spending one million a year to clean up graffiti!

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Graffiti, Santa Ana 3 Comments

The city of Santa Ana spends over $1 Million a year removing graffiti in our city. YES ONE MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR to remove graffiti is what our taxpayers are paying.

You want money for youth programs in our city? Here’s an idea, tell the gangbangers and taggers to stop vandalizing our city with their moronic graffiti! Continue reading→

Woman convicted of facilitating communication between a convicted rapist and her daughter

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ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

Case # 17WM01500

Date: May 8, 2017

WOMAN CONVICTED OF VIOLATING PROTECTIVE ORDER BY FACILITATING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN CHILD RAPE VICTIM AND THE PERPETRATOR

WESTMINSTER, Calif. – A woman was convicted of violating a protective order by facilitating communication between a child rape victim and the perpetrator.

Defendant/Charges/Sentence

  • Jessica Lee Pearles, 37, Garden Grove
  • Pleaded guilty on May 5, 2017, to one misdemeanor count of violation of a protective order
  • Court offer:
    • 30 days in county jail
    • 30 days of community service
    • Three years of informal probation

Continue reading→

The SAPD is searching for two suspects who scammed elderly victims at local banks

Posted on by Posted in Banking, Costa Mesa, Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Elderly Scammer and his car

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Detectives From Santa Ana & Costa Mesa PDs Asking For Assistance In Identifying Suspects In An Elderly Scam

On 04/11/2017 at approximately 1:20 pm, an elderly 84 year-old victim was approached by two suspects on the street, convinced to go to the bank and withdraw money from his account, which was eventually taken by the waiting suspects. A similar crime was reported to the Costa Mesa PD on 04/28/2017 at 1030 a.m. These suspects are known to loiter around banks and bus stops near banks. Continue reading→

Santa Ana man charged with bringing a gun to a school and having sex with a minor

Posted on by Posted in Crime, OCDA, Orange, Santa Ana 1 Comment

From Michael James Snitzler’s Facebook page

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Date: May 3, 2017

Case #17CF1017

VARSITY FOOTBALL COACH FACING CHARGES FOR INITIATING 10-HOUR STANDOFF WITH POLICE AT EL MODENA HIGH SCHOOL

*Defendant is facing additional charges for engaging in a sexual relationship with a minor student

SANTA ANA, Calif. – Michael James Snitzler, a varsity football coach is facing charges for initiating a 10-hour standoff with police and engaging in a sexual relationship with a minor student at El Modena High School (EMHS).

Defendant/Charges: Continue reading→

An SAPD police officer was injured today while pursuing an auto theft suspect

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento Leave a comment

Los Cristales Bar

An unidentified man led SAPD police officers on a short car chase today after he fled from a traffic stop, in a stolen pickup truck, at 5:50 p.m., at McFadden and Grand Ave., according to the O.C. Register.

During the police pursuit the suspect intentionally rammed the pickup truck into a police cruiser. He then fled from the truck on foot and ran from  the police for a few blocks. Continue reading→

Santa Ana’s Euclid Market accused of $2M food-stamp fraud and raided by the Feds

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Agents of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation unit raided the Euclid Market, located at 630 Euclid St D, Santa Ana, on Wednesday morning, May 3, according to the O.C. Register.

The Federal agents had a search warrant related to an alleged $2 million food-stamp fraud. It was alleged that the owners of the Euclid Market, Jose Garcia Olivo and Johanna Garcia (a father and his daughter), wrongly pocketed $2M since January of 2014, by paying individuals cash in exchange for charging those individuals’ Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, instead of actually selling food. Continue reading→

Santa Ana man convicted of molesting little girls he met at a local church

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Jose Luis Aguilera

Jose Luis Aguilera, a 42, a Santa Ana man, was convicted today of several felony counts for molesting young girls that he met through his Jehovah’s Witness congregation, according to the O.C. Register.

Aguilera was convicted on four counts of lewd acts on a child younger than 14, but charges of kidnapping for child molesting and four counts of lewd acts on a child younger than 14 did not stick because the jury deadlocked. He was also acquitted of another count of lewd acts on a child younger than 14, according to court records. Continue reading→

Orange County curfew sweep resulted in the arrest of 15 minors last night

Posted on by Posted in Crime, OCDA, Santa Ana 3 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 28, 2017

LAW ENFORCEMENT NETS 15 MINORS IN 7TH OC GRIP CURFEW SWEEP

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. – Orange County Gang Reduction and Intervention Partnership (OC GRIP) partnered with 13 law enforcement agencies to conduct a curfew sweep in the county. Last night, 130 officers patrolled the cities and unincorporated areas of Orange County and detained 15 minors who were out past curfew and in violation of city laws. This annual event is hosted by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA), organized by OC GRIP, and works to heighten parental awareness and prevent local youth from joining or participating in gang activity.

The 15 minors were taken by police car to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) until their parents arrived and picked them up. Before releasing the youths, OCDA and OC GRIP representatives and officers met with the detained minors’ parents and discuss the dangers and legal consequences involved for those who violate curfew. Legal ramifications could include misdemeanor criminal prosecution with penalties ranging from fines up to six months in jail for the parent, or juvenile hall for the child, plus the associated financial costs. Parents and children also met with probation officers who provided helpful resources for substance abuse treatment, parenting classes, and family therapy. Continue reading→

Deputy Chief Jim Schnabl, an H.R. guy, is the new Acting Police Chief of the SAPD

Posted on by Posted in Carlos Rojas, Crime, David Benavides, Doug McGeachy, Jim Schnabl, Michele Martinez, Robert Cortez, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 2 Comments

Jim Schnabl

Deputy Chief Jim Schnabl has been selected as the new Acting Police Chief of the SAPD, according to a message sent to SAPD employees by outgoing Chief Carlos Rojas, who resigned when he was hired to serve as the new Chief of the BART Police in San Francisco.

Schnabl has been running the SAPD’s Administrative Bureau, which oversees Human Resources, Training, Information Services, and the Central Distribution Center (CDC). The Bureau is also responsible for the Communications Center which is often a point of first contact with the community in providing emergency and non-emergency services. Continue reading→

Uber driver charged with raping a Santa Ana woman who was intoxicated

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Angel Sanchez

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Case # 17CF1023

Date: April 26, 2017

UBER DRIVER CHARGED FOR RAPE OF FEMALE PASSENGER

SANTA ANA, Calif. – An Uber driver was charged yesterday with raping a female passenger in Santa Ana.

Defendant/Charges/Maximum Sentence/Court Date

  • Angel Sanchez, 37, Costa Mesa
  • One felony count of rape of intoxicated victim
  • Eight years in state prison
  • Arraignment: May 1, 2017, 8:30 a.m. at Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana

Circumstances of the Case Continue reading→

Bus driver accused of sexually abusing special needs individuals in Tustin

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SEXUAL ABUSE SUSPECT ARRESTED

SUSPECT: Jon Francis Farris M/W Age 57

On Wednesday April 26 2017, members of the Tustin Police Department arrested Jon Farris as a result of an investigation regarding the sexual abuse of individuals with special needs. Farris, a contract bus driver responsible for the transportation of special needs individuals, was arrested after allegations were brought to the attention of the Tustin Police Department. These allegations involved the sexual abuse of special needs individuals while Farris was working as a bus driver. It should be noted that Farris was not affiliated with the Tustin Unified School District in any way. Continue reading→

Armed suspect who robbed a cell phone store sought by the SAPD

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZlmNcbeMKM%20

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Detectives Requesting Assistance Identifying Metro PCS Robbery Suspect

Location: Metro PCS located at 2547 W. McFadden #A

Occurred 4/22/2017 at 7:45 p.m., the suspect described as a Male (White or Hispanic), 30-40 y/o, 5’5-5’7”, thin build, wearing a navy blue hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. The suspect pulled the hood of the sweatshirt over his head in an attempt to conceal his identity. The suspect points a handgun at store employees and demanded money. Employees provide the suspect with an undisclosed amount of U.S. currency which he takes and flees the business in a westbound direction on McFadden from the business. Continue reading→

The SAPD is looking for two suspects who robbed the JC Penney at the MainPlace Mall

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Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Detectives Requesting Assistance In Identifying Suspect In A Robbery

Location: JC Penny at MainPlace Mall / 2890 N. Main Street

On 04/08/2017 at approximately 4:47 p.m., the above two suspects entered the JC Penny store, took merchandise, and fled the store without paying. Suspect #1 produced a knife from his pants pocket and walked in front of loss prevention, blocking him as suspect #2 ran away with the merchandise. Continue reading→

An armed suspect robbed the D&M Deli and Mini-Market on McFadden Ave.

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The D&M Deli and Mini-Market

An armed unidentified male suspect robbed the D&M Deli and Mini-Market on McFadden Avenue and Ward Street, in Garden Grove, on Monday night, April 24, at around 9:15 p.m., according to the O.C. Register.

The suspect was armed with a semi-automatic handgun, according to the Garden Grove Police Dept. Continue reading→